BIRTHDAY BOY!!

My baby turned two on Friday. 

pretty crazy weekend with it being Easter weekend too. Which also made it more exciting is that my cousins and their families came in as well to celebrate. The theme was the Cat in the Hat-which is a favorite in our house. I had a vision of how it was going to be-parts of it happened, other parts there just wasn't enough time. It didn't matter though, Reese had a great time and he was surrounded with people who love him very much.

I let the birthday boy cheat and have an oreo ball for after breakfast snack...

We went to the park. it was forecasted to be scattered thunderstorms all afternoon.  But it ended up being a perfect beautiful afternoon for a birthday party.

Eating cupcakes with blue icing is serious business....

Made some new "friends"......

Opened some presents....

and noticed many rules we accidentally broke....

Reese loves being tickled and looking for things.  He has started talking a lot more just in the past week.  He loves hotdogs, apples, strawberries, bananas, and graham crackers are his favorites right now.  He randomly pointed at something in Target last week and said "Green!" we haven't been working on colors, but he was right.  one of his favorite things to say is "disgusting" taught to him by his brother.  Reese's favorite animals are elephants and cows.  He is getting even more independent, doesn't like to be in the stroller, or in the cart at the store.  Reese loves the Spideman theme song, and still has a contagious laugh and smile.  He loves nursery at church, cars, trains, firetrucks, dinosaurs, the Cat in the Hat, Dora, and Dino Dan.  He loves to say "Mama, mama, MAMA!" until he is absolutely positive he has my undivided attention, and then will just smile and giggle until I look away and do it 57 more times.  He has also got some serious dance moves, in fact he learned just today to do a forward roll on his own. 

I am starting a tradition of telling the boys about the day they were born on their birthdays.   I remember being enormous and SO excited. I remember being pregnant and missing you even though I hadn't met you yet.  It had been cold in Georgia, but the week you were born it was gorgoeus and warm, and everything was in bloom.  I remember how much it ached because I had to wait so long to hold you while you were on oxygen.  I also remember how natural and comfortable you were in my arms like that was exactly where you were supposed to be.  You used to sleep best on my chest, which worked for a while, but you were getting so big so fast it got a lot harder to do that.  You have a zest for life and take things head on (sometimes literally).  You are as stubborn as your Mother and I hope you used that for good as you get older.  You make the most pitiful faces when you are sad or upset.  I have sung "I love you a bushel and a peck" to you since the day you were born because I remember my grandparents singing that to me.  You are full of energy and you amaze me everyday.  We love you so much, happy birthday sweet boy!!

Weeeeeee're Baaaaaack!

I think I am almost caught up.  So I can give an update and then continue to post.  We moved back to Knoxville on April Fool's Day this year.  It's something we had been thinking about, and with the economy the way that it is, the company Kris worked for wasn't winning bids-which means no work.  When he was laid off last Spring, it was a bit of a shock.  We were unprepared.  Thankfully we had food storage and Kris's mom let us come and live with her.  We didn't want to be surprised this time. Kris and I saw the signs coming, all was looking very familiar.  We took matters in our own hands and prayed and fasted about what we should do and where we should go.  Both of us felt like we needed to come back to Knoxville.  At first the plan was for me and the boys to come ahead and Kris to stay until the project was done.  But Kris felt strongly that he needed to come with us-and I am so grateful he did. 

It's amazing how Heavenly Father works.  After we finally made our decision, we took a great leap of faith. We had a little savings, Kris gave his 2 week notice, and we started making plans to move.  We found a place eventually that would take our dog and didn't charge us an arm and a leg to move in, and we were here 3 days before Kris got a new job.  I feel very strongly that we have been "watched over"-and although we have had some crazy drama with our new place-water going through the celing to the downstairs, the AC going out on the hottest days of Spring so far, and now we are dealing with ant issues-the blessings have far outweighed the issues.  I am so happy to be settled for the next little while.  And to have no plans to move in the next year. 

Our condo we are renting is dated to say the least, but it has potential. Little by little we are transforming it. We started with the front.

Before:

Bushes or weeds? Where does one begin and the other end?

I know it's not professional, but the bushes will grow bigger and we didn't want to invest a ton of money.  It works for us and we like it.

We started a trend though, over the next couple of weeks our neighbors were fixing theirs.  And that night my allergies went CRAZY.  Tennessee in the springtime-thanks for the welcome back.

Cowboy Reese

This is another "catching up" post.  We came in from North Carolina to find a place to live. It was a really quick weekend.  We did get to go on a playdate with my sister and nephew. A friend of her's-in laws have a farm and invited us along with some others to their farm for a playdate.  SO. Much. Fun.  They were so kind and welcoming.  Abram went to play with Nana, and Kris was really sick-so he slept while Reese and I went to the farm with Natalie and Isaac. 

They did horse rides and I had no idea what to expect from Reese (I should have known). The kid had NO FEAR.  That is the thing with him, I think I have mentioned it before. He is 100% no matter what. Good....or less than good.  He was kicking his legs because I wasn't getting him up there fast enough. He kept laughing and yelling, "Yee Haw!"

My sister got on with Isaac.  We talked later about how that was the first time she has been on a horse since she was 7 or 8 and a horse took off with her and she almost fell off. Luckily a family friend was with us and raced after her and helped.

Totally worth it, look at Isaac's face.

When I was little, I always wanted to be in the Finess (sp?) hair commercial. The one with the girl riding the horse on the beach, with her hair blowing in the wind.  I think this is the closest I will ever get to that dream.  I don't know if they even sell that shampoo anymore.

There were sheep, that got bored when all Reese was giving them was grass, and left.

Come back!!

Isaac needed a quick break after all of this fun.

And a tractor ride!!! There's my boy, trying to drive that tractor and having the time of his life.

And this is when Mama got out of eyeshot and the ride was over.

It was such a fun playdate, and we did find a place to live.  More about that, and the recent birthday boy later.



I Can't Make This Stuff Up

You know whenever you are in a group of people and the question goes around, "What is your most embarassing moment?" I hate that game, because really, I don't have a lot of them-meaning, I am pretty good at laughing at myself, because most times that is the only thing you can do. 

And then there was today. 

It was definately a "These things only happen to me" moment.  Reese has had a cough and runny nose for a couple of weeks.  At first I thought it was a virus, then I thought it must be allergies because he coughs whenever we are outside and he has been running around.  I have been debating going to the doctor, but he didn't have a fever, and was eating/sleeping well.  This morning he woke up and I could tell he did not feel good-he was super whiny, etc. I knew he was sick.  The phone lines were down at the doctor (weird, right?) so I called their "sister-office" and made an appoinment.  We head over and Reese is falling asleep in the car (it's his nap time). And I think "Perfect, Reese will sleep and hopefully Abram will just watch TV so he won't touch anything in the "sick waiting room". We go back and Reese is extra pitiful, got weighed etc.

THEN IT HAPPENED. 

I had the diaper bag strapped across me, holding Reese and he threw up.....a lot. And it just kept coming.  We are talking oatmeal, strawberries, and banana.  All down my shirt, capris, in my hair, and on the diaper bag.  The nurses frantically were getting those "throw up cups", but it was too late.  Then Abram starts to gag-because of looking at it and the smell.  So I am saying, "It's okay Reese, Abram don't look!"  The nurses were amazing! They took Abram out and gave him stickers and played with him while they cleaned in between my toes (yes, the vomit made it to my flip flops) as I stood there holding Reese in vomit.  One of them looked at me and said, "We have a shower downstairs?" -Really? Yah, could you guys watch my kids while I go take a shower? I. Wish. The vomit had soaked EVERYTHING. So I asked if they had anything-even a hospital gown I could wear.  So they brought me an XXL gown and some "shorts" they give teenagers who don't wear underwear (yes, that's what they told me-um grose. 1. Wear your underwear. 2. If you choose not to follow rule #1, then at least let going to the doctor be a speacial occasion to wear some.).  So that's what I wear, an OPEN BACK gown and teenager "shorts" (I keep putting them in quotes because they are that paper-like material).  They did a double swab test on Reese for strep and walking pnemonia, both negative. A blood test which made them think it was some sort of bacterial something, but all else looked good.  I told the doc I had family coming in town and she said that would be fine, not to cancel anything.  That he just didn't feel good, and in 24 hours he should feel a lot better.  And then he got a shot of antibiotics and a a prescription.

Did I mention our pediatrician is on a COLLEGE CAMPUS???  You know, where people go to class, whether it be walking or driving? That there are also a couple of hospitals across the street?  Yes, so if you can tell me how to gracefully carry a bag of throw up clothes, a puked on diaper bag, a sick child, while making sure your 4 year old doesn't get hit by a car, AFTER YOU GET TO WALK THROUGH THE WAITING ROOM TO GET TO THE PARKING LOT in an open back gown-please, leave a comment and let me know.  Because everyone on campus got to glance at the goods today.  I prayed all the way home that we wouldn't get in a wreck or get pulled over. 

As if that wasn't enough, I am unloading the kids from the car-and a male neighbor down the street WAVES TO ME! As if to make me totally aware, "Yes, I do see you in all your glory, hello there!" Nice.  What we Mother's do for our kids.  Poor little guy is going to miss the Easter Egg hunt tonight.  I sure hope he feels better soon. 

Mental note: Always have, not only change of clothes for the kids in the car, but some for me as well-just in case.

Farm Days on St. Patrick's Day

There were a couple days in March when the University of North Carolina's Agriculture Department had "Farm Days". It was just that, a day where you could go to the farm, see and pet the animals-AND have ice cream at the end.  What could be better? It was St. Patrick's Day AND it was free!  We loaded up the gang and headed out.  Warning: this post will be FULL of pictures. I couldn't help it, cute kids+baby animals=picture loaded post.

There were baby bunnies...

Our little turkeys looking at the turkeys...

 And sweet little chicks, and a story...hold on, it's coming.....

It's funny (I can say that now) looking back at these pictures, because it makes it SO obvious what is about to happen-though at the time, it happened so fast.  Please note that Reese is wearing a blue coat, so the little chubby over excited hands in the blue coat belong to my Reese, got it? Okay.

Oh, what? No pictures of Reese actually holding the chick? Let me tell you what happened.  I have my camera capturing every detail of this tender moment, the children gently petting and holding the small baby chicks. Reese can barely contain his excitement. Please also note, that I did not think about the fact that Reese has never held a baby animal before.  Two things happen.  My friend Sarah convinces the chick attendent/protector to take a picture of our kids from her side-thinking of how adorable it will be. The lady agrees, while she is taking the picture, and I am also taking a picture-Reese realizes it's his chance and GRABS a tiny chick. All I see is his chubby little hand and a chick head peeping for it's life as Reese-who  is squeezing this live "toy" looking thing. I am fumbling trying to pry his hands off the chick. I finally free it and say, "It's time to see other animals." .......I don't think the chick attendent took any more pictures for people that day.

This picture makes me laugh, it was yet another attempt for a group shot and Jonah is the only one paying attention and smiling, love him.

We may or may not have decided to not wait 30 minutes in line to get in the tractors. And we may or may not have let our kids disregard the caution tape and just climb on the outside.

After farm days we went to an Old Mill and did some exploring.  Another attempt at a group shot of the kids in their green attire for St. Patrick's Day.

Pictured above is Mrs. Flash (according to Abram), the Flash, and Batman.